1822 Prince Pedro declared Brazil independence and received
title of emperor
1824 Pedro promulgated the first constitution; US recognition
1825 Great Britain and Portugal recognized Brazil
1827 By treaty Great Britain consolidated its commercial
predominance over Brazil
1828 Argentina and Brazil agreed to the creation of Uruguay as
an independent nation, thus ending the war between the two
1831 Pedro I abdicated, A three-man regency assumed control
1834 Additional act to the 1824 Constitution instituted
federalism and a one-man regency
1840 Interpretive Law ended the experiment with federalism;
Proclamation of the majority ended the regency; Pedro II
ascended the throne
1843 The first steamboat navigated the Amazon
1844 Anglo-Brazilian Treaty of 1827 expired and was not renewed.
Alves Branco Tariff raised duties
1850 The Queiroz Law abolished the slave trade
1851 The first regular steamship line to Europe inaugurated
1852 Brazil intervened in Argentina to help overthrow Rosas
1854 Beginning of the Railroad era
1865 War of the Triple Alliance, Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay
allied against Paraguay
1870 The Triple Alliance defeated Paraguay
The Republican party issued its manifesto

1871 The Law of the Free Womb freed all children born to slaves

1873 The number of Italian immigrants arriving begins to surpass
the number of Portuguese

1874 Transatlantic cable went into service

1873-1875 Conflict of Church and State over privileges of regalism
1885 The Saraiva-Cotegipe Law freed all slaves at the age of
sixty-five
1888 The Golden Law abolished slavery, without compensation for
slaveholders
1889 The emperor dethroned by the army and the republic
established

REPUBLIC

1890 Church and State separated
1891 A new constitution promulgated
1893 A naval revolt threatened the republic
1894 The first civilian president took office
1897 Destruction of Canudos and the death of the religious
mystic, Antonio Conselheiro
1907 Second Hague Peace Conference, Brazil participated in its
first world-wide conference
1910 Indian Protection Service established
1917 Brazil declared war on Germany and joined the Allied powers
1920 Creation of the first university to replace scattered
faculties
1922 Copacabana revolt; tenente movement began
1924-1927 March of the revolutionary Prestes Column through the backlands
1930 Revolution which brought Getulio Vargas to power
1932 Revolution of Sao Paulo and civil war
1937 Establishment of the Estado Novo
1942 Brazil declared war on the Axis powers
1944 An expeditionary force sent to Europe
1945 The military deposed Vargas
1946 A new constitution promulgated
1950 Vargas reelected president
1954 Vargas committed suicide
1960 The capital moved inland to Brazilia
1961 The election and resignation of Janio Quadros
Vice President Joao Goulart becomes president
The establishment of a parliamentary system
1963 Parliamentary system extinguished by national plebiscite
1964 The military deposed Joao Goulart. A purged congress
elected Humberto Castello Branco president.
First Institutional Act.
1965 The legal guidelines for political parties renovated by the
Second lnstitutional Act
1967 A new constitution promulgated. General Artur da Costa e
Silva inaugurated president
1968 A military coup gave Costa e Silva dictatorial power.
Fifth Institutional Act
1969 US Ambassador to Brazil Charles Burke Elbrick kidnaped,
freed after government acceded to urban guerrillas demands
President Costa e Silva incapacitated by stroke. Military
junta took power, bypassing civilian vice-president.
Death penalty restored for acts of violence and subversion
General Medici named as president by military junta, new
constitution made!
1974 General Ernesto Geisel
1979 Joao Figueirdo
1985 Jose Sarney
1989 Fernando Collor do Mello